1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to telecommunications and, in particular, to voice identification. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to originating a billed transaction for an origin telephony device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telephone service has created communication channels worldwide, and those channels continue to expand with the advent of cellular and other wireless services. A person can simply take a telephone off-hook and dial a destination number or press a send button and be connected to a telephone line around the world.
Today, the public switching telephone network (PSTN), wireless networks, and private networks telephone services are based on the identification of the wireless telephone or wireline that a calling party uses. Services are personalized according to wireless telephone or wireline telephone number, where services associated with one telephone number are not accessible for another telephone number assigned to the same subscriber. For example, there is typically a first set of service features and billing options assigned to a home line number, a second set of service features and billing options assigned to an office line number, and a third set of service features and billing options assigned to a cellular telephone number. The networks process calls to and from each of these different subscriber telephones based on a separate telephone number.
One feature of telephone switching systems is the availability of service numbers. Service numbers may be subscribed to by businesses and individuals who are interested in providing a service via the telephone. For example, fortune tellers may subscribe to a service number. Service numbers typically utilize a distinct area code, such as A900″ to indicate that additional charges may be incurred if dialed.
When an individual dials a service number, that individual is agreeing for a charge to be applied to the billing plan for the line number from which the call originates. For example, if an individual dials the service number for a fortune teller, the line number from which the individual dialed may be charge for each minute of service.
One problem with service numbers is when children or other unauthorized individuals utilize a line number to call service numbers, racking up charges on a line number account. Another problem with service numbers is that an individual must call the service number for a charge to be added to the line number from which a call originates. A call could be made from the service number, but no charges would incur to the line number at which the call is answered.
Some businesses have found it productive to offer subscriptions to services, such as a daily stock review or news updates. Individuals receive a bill, typically monthly and separate from a telephone service bill, to receive an automated, personalized report via telephone. However, a limitation of such subscription services is that any person answering the line number utilized by the subscription service may listen to the personalized report. Thus, the subscriber will pay for the reports whether the subscriber or another individual listens to the reports. Another limitation of such subscription services is that the subscription service cannot initiate a billed transaction with the subscriber.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for originating a billed transaction from a device that originates a call, where the device that answers the call is billed. Further, it would be advantageous to detect the identity of the individual answering a call prior to completing a billed transaction. Moreover, it would be advantageous to bill the transaction to the individual actually answering a call, rather than the line number from which the call is answered.